I'll Be Here
by RedLion2
Summary: On a cool spring night, Allura's world is melting down. Keith comes to her rescue. Written for the "Broken" KAEX challenge. This is my second one-shot for the challenge. K/A


I do not own Voltron, or its associated characters.

This is my second story for the KAEX group's "Broken" challenge. Unlike the first one, "Mechanical Failure," which was set in the DotU realm, this one is actually set in my "Call of the Lions" realm. It takes place when Keith and Allura are still in high school, right after Allura's parents' divorce becomes official. This was mentioned in "Call of the Lions," when Allura's mom calls to try and guilt-trip her into going to spend time with her father, who injured his back. Keith remembers a night when Allura calls him, upset and crying, because her mom is melting down. This is that night.

I'LL BE HERE

"Hey Keith, the Rockies are up to bat!" Brian Kogane called to his older brother by two years. Keith sauntered into the living room, a smirk on his handsome face.

"You think they really got a shot at winning this thing, don't you?" he asked. He popped open a Coke and threw himself down in his dad's old recliner.

Brian snorted. "Of course I do. The Dodgers' relief pitcher isn't that great."

"Doesn't matter, when they're leading 6-3, does it?" Keith took a long pull on his can of soda. "Be a miracle if the Rockies can tie it up."

"We'll find out." Brian turned his attention back to the game again, and Keith grinned to himself. Brian was a six foot copy of himself, albeit two inches shorter. He was a die-hard Rockies fan, and a great baseball player himself. Keith played baseball too, and football. Their athleticism was well-known in their small Colorado community, and they owed it to both of their parents. "Yes!" Brian hollered when the Rockies' lead-off hitter got a triple. "See, I know they can do it," he told Keith.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see." Keith's phone vibrated and he pulled it from his pocket, instantly grinning. He checked the text from Allura Castle, his girlfriend, and the grin fell off his face. He growled something under his breath and got up.

"What's up?" Brian asked, turning the TV down.

"It's Allura. I'll be back later." Keith offered no other explanation as he headed out of the living room. As he made to open the back door, Brian caught up with him and grabbed his shoulder. "What?" Keith asked, glancing back at him.

His brother's dark eyes were troubled, and he said, "Take good care of her, okay? Tell her I'm thinking about her." Brian's voice was quiet, full of sympathy.

Keith's gaze softened. "I will. Go cheer on the Rockies for me."

"Okay." Brian nodded and turned back, and Keith stepped out of the house and ran down the steps of their porch. He fell into a fast run, heading for Allura's house, which was just up the block. They lived in a small town, in a pretty quiet neighborhood. Most of the houses he passed were dark; the Rockies had a late game tonight against the LA Dodgers, and it was close to midnight.

_Hang on, sweetheart. I'm almost there._ His phone rang again and he stopped, jerking it from his pocket. "Hey, I'm on my way," he said.

"G-good." Allura was crying, and it broke his heart. He could imagine her curled up on her bed, sobbing into the fuzzy pink pillow she adored. "M-my mom is gone crazy, t-throwing things in the k-kitchen."

"Be there in a minute. Where are you?" he asked, his voice tight with tension.

"F-front porch."

"Stay right there." Keith slid his phone back into his pocket and took off like a shot, his sneakered feet pounding into the cement of the sidewalk. Mrs. Castle was tiny and petite like her daughter, but she had the temper of an angered wasp, and he didn't want his girlfriend anywhere near her. The Castle home was just up ahead on the left; he didn't downshift his speed until he'd made the porch. Allura was curled up on the swing, and she sat up and reached for him as he sat next to her.

"Hey," he whispered, pulling her into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. "Shh, it's okay now." He kissed the top of her head. She snuggled into his hold, as if she couldn't get close enough to him. He stroked her back and murmured gentle words to her, wishing he could make things all better for her. But her parents' divorce had just gone final the week before, and since then, her world had gone bottoms-up.

"S-sorry to c-call so late," she sniffled, pulling back from him and wiping at her eyes. "I thought you'd be watching the Rockies game."

"We were," he said, nodding. "And don't be sorry. I told you anytime you need me, I'll be here. I meant it." He spoke quietly, gently, and ran a hand down her tear-streaked cheek. "What set your mom off?"

She bit her lip. "Luke called and said he wasn't coming home tonight. She got mad and said he didn't have permission to stay out all night, and he told her he didn't need permission, especially from her." She heaved a deep sigh. "Mom threw her phone and then started throwing other things." She glanced nervously at the house. "I was afraid she might hit me."

Keith's temper leapt and he pushed it back. He needed to stay calm. "I think maybe you should come to my house tonight. Dad's working, and Brian won't care. He's pretty worried about you, actually." He offered a soft smile.

She smiled too, but it fell away much too soon. "He's sweet, just like his big brother," she whispered. "And I don't think Mom will let me come to your house."

"Don't ask. She probably won't even notice you're gone." There was a loud crash from the house, and Allura shied. Keith reached out and pulled her back into his arms, his dark eyes narrowing with anger. What right did Mrs. Castle have to be so angry, smashing things and scaring her daughter? "I don't think I'd ask," he said again.

The front door suddenly swung open and Mrs. Castle stormed out onto the porch. She saw them and pointed at Keith. "It's too late for you to be here, Keith. Go home," she ordered.

Allura cringed, and he knew there was no way he was leaving his frightened girlfriend here alone with her mom. He could smell the alcohol from here, and Mrs. Castle's blue eyes were red-rimmed and glassy. He gave Allura a squeeze and eased her out of his arms before standing to face her mom. "Allura's going to spend the night at my house, Mrs. Castle. I don't think she should be here." He spoke firmly, keeping Allura behind him.

Mrs. Castle glared at him. "Don't talk back to me. This is _my_ house, and she's _my_ daughter," she ranted. "Now go home!" Her voice rose to a shout, and he wondered why none of their neighbors had called the police.

"Mom, please stop yelling," Allura said, getting off the swing. She moved to stand by Keith, and he took hold of her hand, lest she try and approach her mom. He wasn't letting her get hurt.

"Don't talk back to me!" Mrs. Castle roared. She started walking toward them, and Keith tensed. He wasn't going to take a swing at Allura's mom, but he wasn't going to let her hurt either of them, either.

"Mom, stop!" Allura cried out, tears running down her face. "Just go inside and leave us alone."

Mrs. Castle grabbed a potted plant off a small table and pulled her arm back. Keith pulled Allura to him and turned his back on the older woman as she uttered a sharp cry and threw the plant at them. Her aim was way off and it hit the nearby swing, but Keith knew it was enough to terrify his girlfriend. He kept one arm around her and moved quickly down the porch, toward the stairs. "Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Castle screeched. "Get back here!"

But Keith had no intention of stopping or going back, not right then. He got Allura off the porch and taking her hand, broke into a jog. He didn't go fast, but he wanted to put distance between them and the drunken woman. Once they were down the sidewalk a fair way, he stopped and turned to Allura. She was silently crying, the sobs wracking her slender frame, and his heart, broken for her already, shattered into pieces. He couldn't bear to see her this way.

"Oh, sweetheart," he murmured, wrapping her up in his strong arms and laying his head on top of hers as she tucked hers beneath his chin. "I love you," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

She nodded, unable to talk, and he held her tighter, willing her tears to stop. Her mom wasn't worth any of them, but he knew she felt differently. The divorce wasn't just hard on Mrs. Castle, it was breaking her two children. Long, deep shudders ran through Allura's body, and Keith lifted her chin so he could see into her eyes. They were wet with hot tears, and he wanted to take all of them away. He slowly bent his head down, his lips gently claiming hers. Her lips tasted of salt, and she pressed against him, her mouth soft and yielding, and he moved his mouth over hers, teasing it open. She gave a little moan and he plunged them into a deeper kiss, holding her firmly against him. When he sensed her need for some air, he eased off, but still kept her close to him, wanting to protect her as much as he could.

She sniffled into his chest, and he kissed her forehead. "Come on, honey. Let's get you back to my house," he whispered and taking her hand, started walking back to his house. When they got there, the lights were off, and he wondered if the Rockies had been victorious or not. He opened the back door for her and let her go in. She waited for him by the fridge, and he pulled out two Cokes. "Let's go upstairs," he said, and she nodded. The house was quiet, the TV shut off. Keith flipped on a light switch at the bottom of the stairs, illuminating them so they wouldn't trip while going up.

As they passed Brian's room, Keith heard his door open a little, and said, "Honey, go ahead. I'll be right there." He waited until she'd gone into his room before turning to face Brian, who had opened his door a little more.

"Is she okay?" Brian asked.

Keith shook his head. "No, not really. Her mom is drunk, and throwing stuff around. I didn't want to leave her there."

Brian's face darkened. "That sucks."

"Yeah, it does," Keith said, sighing. "She's staying the night."

"Okay." Brian nodded and shut his door, and Keith continued on down the hall to his room. Allura was sitting on his bed, looking for all the world like a little girl lost, and his breath caught in his throat. She looked so vulnerable, so sad. His protective streak rose up, and he walked over and sat next to her, putting his arm around her and pulling her into his side.

"You're safe here," he whispered. She nodded against his chest, and he frowned, wishing mightily there was something he could say or do to make everything all right again for her. But he knew from his own heart-breaking experience that it was never that easy. Her world would never be totally right again.

"Thank you for coming to get me," she whispered. "I was scared. I hope she doesn't hurt herself, either."

"She looked like she drank a lot, so she'll probably just pass out," he said. He rubbed her back, making soothing circles that he hoped would calm her.

"She never used to drink so much." Allura made a disgusted noise in her throat. She pushed away from Keith and got off the bed, wrapping her arms around her waist and pacing back and forth in front of his window. He let her go, knowing she liked to pace whenever she was mad or frustrated. "I hate this," she murmured. "I hate it so much. Sometimes I wish I could've gone with Dad." She stopped and turned to face him. "But then I wouldn't have you, and I _need_ you." Tears tracked down her cheeks, and his concern for her leapt high in his chest. He got off the bed and went to her, drawing her tightly into his embrace. She began sobbing again, and he kissed the top of her head, at a loss as to what he could say or do.

She pushed away from him again, and again he let her go, sympathy welling in his dark eyes. She rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes, and he walked over and grabbed a Coke, opening it and offering it to her. "Thanks," she whispered and took a long drink. "I'm sorry," she said a few seconds later.

"Hey." He put his hands on her slim shoulders and waited until she met his gaze. "Don't ever say you're sorry for this, okay? I'm your boyfriend. This is what I'm for."

"To watch me fall apart?" The words were barely a whisper, and she looked away from him again. "You don't deserve this, Keith. I know you've got that big baseball tournament coming up this Saturday, and you've been practicing so hard for it, and—"

"And stop." He put his finger to her lips, halting her breathless and increasingly-frenzied words. He took her face gently in his big hands, making her look back at him. "I love you, Ally. More than anything else in this world, okay? Don't worry about the tournament or anything else, because I'm not. I'm only worried about you." His voice was low and gentle, and he watched as enormous tears welled in her beautiful sky-blue eyes. He kissed her forehead and dropped his mouth to hers, feeling her tension and anger and fright as he tried to make it all better, tried to ease her suffering.

She let out a small sob against his lips and he kissed her a little more demandingly, wiling her to give in to him, to let him help her. Finally, she wound her arms around his waist and leaned on him, and let herself fall into him. Keith kissed her softly, gently, hoping he was making her forget everything but him, at least for these few precious seconds. Then he drew back, scooped her into his arms, and carried her over to his bed, where he set her down and sat beside her. She put her head on his shoulder.

"This sucks," she finally whispered to him after several minutes of silence.

He chuckled quietly and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Yeah, it does."

"I'm glad you're my boyfriend, Keith Kogane." She nudged his shoulder with her head. "You're the best guy in the world."

"I don't know about that," he said, smiling a little.

"The best guy for _me_, then."

"That I'll agree to." He kissed the top of her head. "I wish I could make this all better for you."

"This is nice," she whispered, cuddling closer. "I really thought my mom was going to hurt me." She sniffled hard as she said it, and he squeezed her shoulders, hugging her closer to his side.

"I wouldn't have let that happen, honey." He let a touch of fierceness color his voice, because he needed her to believe him. She needed to know that he would always be there to protect her, no matter whom or what the threat was.

"I know."

"Do you?" He moved so he could see her face, and traced her jawline with one strong finger. "I'd do anything to protect you, sweetheart. You need to believe that."

"I do, Keith." She nodded vehemently. She shuddered, then, and said, "I don't want to go home. Luke probably won't come home at all tonight. What if he doesn't come back?"

"He's your brother. He's just mad at her," Keith said. Allura's older brother, Luke, was a senior, two years older than them. "And besides, you aren't going home tonight, either. You're staying with me, so I know you're okay."

She gave him a small, sad smile that tore into his heart. "I don't think I'll ever be completely okay again." She sighed and reached out to take his hand, holding it gently. "I'm pretty broken."

He swallowed hard, hating that this was happening to her. "That's true, honey, that you're broken right now. But not forever. You can't believe that." He cupped her silky cheek in his hand. "You have me. You have Luke. And neither of us is going to let you fall apart. Not ever." He spoke with a hard undertone, because he wanted her to know she would eventually be all right. That she'd been rolled by the divorce was true. No one got out of a divorce unscathed.

Tears flowed down her cheeks again at his words, and he reached around her, pulling her into his lap and wrapping his arms tight around her, snugging her in securely to his broad chest. He just held her as she cried, because he knew there were no more words he could give her that would help. This was something she'd have to battle through until she could see the other side. "I love you," he whispered and held her tight.

"Love you," she managed to whisper back.

"I'll always be here, sweetheart," he told her. No matter the difficulties that lay ahead for her, he would not leave her side. She quieted in his arms, her tears drying over the next half-hour, and soon, he could tell, she had fallen asleep. He laid her down carefully on his bed and drew his quilt up over her shoulders, making sure she wouldn't get chilled. Pressing a sweet kiss to her temple, he whispered to her, "I'll be right here." He lay down behind her and wrapped his left arm around her, ensuring that if she had a nightmare, she would know that he was right there, protecting her. He would _always_ protect her, no matter what battles she had to fight.


End file.
